NAEP released its 2023 findings back in January, and to practically nobody’s surprise, the data was less than stellar.
Scores are down sharply from 2019 (COVID) – but are flat from 1992. But, when broken down by percentile performance, some startling patterns emerge.
By and large, the kids who are advanced and proficient tend to hold their scores. The 75th and 90th percentile (and to some degree, 50th) have not seen a large drop in scores. However, when you look at the 25th and 10th percentiles, the drop from 2019 to 2022 is more severe. 5 points in the 25th percentile, and 6 in the 10th.
To paraphrase quote my friend, Chris Birr, “the rich stay rich, but the poor get poorer.” This post isn’t the place to wax poetic about why the data is the way it is – that may come in another blog post. But, for now, we are going to dive into how ion can support the evaluation and execution of literacy instruction at Tier 1.
A Good Place to Start – Tier 1
In the Oregon RTI MTSS Framework, ORTI recommends to be using a Data Based Decision Making approach. “Data Based Dynamic Decision Making is an integral part of the teaming process. Teams should use data and decision rules to determine effectiveness of the core program, identify students in need of interventions, and evaluate student progress to determine next steps.”
A core component of the dynamic decision making framework is a core review meeting. Three times per year, school administrators and leaders (both at the building and grade level) analyze key data to determine the health of the core curriculum. They also collaborate and agree on the priority skills for the grade level, and agrees on common strategies to address these skill needs.
Using ion, teams can quickly determine whether or not the core curriculum is meeting the needs of x number of students (typically it’s 85%). Dashboards at the building and grade level give staff a quick understanding of the overall health of the curriculum.
These data can also be disaggregated by a number of criteria – including Race/Ethnicity, ELL status, Special Ed Status, Socio-Economic Status, etc.
Additionally, staff can use our team meeting tools to record outcomes, observations, goals, etc – and store them for easy access and review.
This team meeting process provides a consistent format for discussions across the school – and district – and facilitates dynamic discussions and decisions that culminate in a greater understanding of the health of the core, and a collaborative approach to school improvement.
There are countless ways our customers are using ion for their Tier 1 Dynamic Decision Making. The best way to see how ion is able to improve access to data for decision making and school improvement is to schedule a consultation with our team. We are excited to talk with you and discover the possibilities!